


cheers

by punchbowls



Series: beat the devil (these are my friends) [2]
Category: IT (1990), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Eddie Kaspbrak Lives, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:55:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27059077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/punchbowls/pseuds/punchbowls
Summary: Bill needs Eddie to wake up (and he does)
Relationships: Bill Denbrough & Eddie Kaspbrak, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Series: beat the devil (these are my friends) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1974877
Comments: 12
Kudos: 46





	cheers

**Author's Note:**

> fuck dudes idk i got more bill feelings and it's after midnight. also this was going to be longer and have more drama but. im sleepy so! hope this suffices and you enjoy <3

Eddie’s been out of surgery and allowed visitors for 48 hours and Bill hasn’t seen him yet. He reasons with himself that it’s because he’s looking after Audra, looking for any sign of change, which is true because he has been and has been desperately hoping for some sign of something,  _ anything _ . He has had every opportunity to see Eddie, though. He’s had many. 

But Eddie’s missing an arm and he hasn’t woken up yet and Bill’s not sure he can bring himself to enter his hospital room. The last time he saw someone lifeless and without an arm was at Georgie’s funeral and the thought of seeing Eddie in such a similar state almost makes him sick.  _ He’s alive _ , Bill reminds himself,  _ Eddie’s alive, like he’s supposed to be, like he knew he would be _ . Yes, Eddie is alive, but according to the other’s there’s no sign of life. At least he can see Audra  _ looking  _ healthy and sitting up with a fully functioning body. 

It’s at 50 hours that Bill feels too guilty to avoid seeing Eddie. He’s terrified as he meets Bev on her way out, but he’s Big Bill. He’s Big Bill and Eddie needs him. He listens to Bev’s footsteps fade as she turns a corner and takes a deep breath when silence meets him. 

Eddie doesn’t need him, he needs Eddie, Bill thinks. 

He takes another deep breath before he opens the door and steps inside. He’s greeted only by the sound of the heart monitor’s steady beeping. No one else is there, Ben managed to convince Richie to leave for another shower, so the room is only occupied by Eddie and Bill. 

Bill’s mind grasps desperately to heart monitor’s beeps and the assurance it gives that Eddie’s alive at the sight of him. Tubes are running from his nose and arms, connected to all kinds of IVs that Bill doesn’t know anything about, bandages cover what he can see of Eddie’s chest and what little is left of his left arm, and he’s pale. He’s so pale and dark circles rest under his eyes and Bill’s reminded of a corpse. 

“Not Eddie,” Bill whispers into the room, “Please not Eddie, too.”

He steps from the door and his feet feel like lead as he makes his way to Eddie’s bedside. They’re both approaching their forties, but for a moment, all Bill can see through his tear-blurred vision is the eleven-year-old boy who followed him around everywhere. One of his best friends. 

He lowers into the chair next to the bed and hesitantly takes Eddie’s hand. He grasps at the comfort the warmth it has, the life the warmth signals. 

“I’m sorry, Eddie,” Bill says into the quiet. 

Eddie doesn’t reply. He doesn’t squeeze Bill’s hand back. 

Bill ducks his head as the tears start to spill.

“I’m sorry, Eddie,” Bill whispers again, “ _ Please _ wake up. I know you can, just please,  _ please  _ do.” The words catch in his throat and he chokes on them as tears fall. “I love you, Eddie. I know you, but I don’t know  _ this  _ you. I want to get to know adult Eddie. W-what’s your business like? Do you like it? Do you still like trains too? What shows do you like to watch?” 

Eddie still doesn’t reply and Bill squeezes his eyes shut to take a shuddering breath. 

“Let me know when you wake up, Eddie,” he says, opening his eyes again. He stands up and runs a hand through Eddie’s blonde curls. Bill bends down to kiss his forehead and squeezes his hand once more before he leaves. 

* * *

Richie announces that Eddie’s woken up. He was only awake for a few minutes and pretty much delirious from meds and painkillers, but the doctors expect for him to be more coherent when he comes to again. 

Bill’s alone with Eddie when he wakes again, and he jumps when he feels Eddie’s fingers paw clumsily at his arm. 

“Richie…?” The end slurs a little as Eddie speaks. 

Bill grabs Eddie’s hand. “It’s Bill, Eddie. Richie should be back soon.”

For a moment, Bill thinks Eddie’s fallen back to sleep. He hasn’t opened his eyes yet and he’s quiet for a few seconds. But then his brow furrows.

“Bill?” Eddie asks.

“Yeah, yeah,” Bill breathes as Eddie forces his eyes open. It takes a moment, but they focus on Bill. “Hey, Eddie.”

“Cheers,” Eddie says. 

Bill blinks. He didn’t think Eddie would greet him with ‘cheers’ and he says, “What?” in return. 

Eddie closes his eyes again and says, “Show.”

“What-?” but then it clicks, “You like to watch Cheers?”

Eddie smiles and nods slightly and Bill laughs breathlessly.

“Good choice,” he says and leans forward to kiss Eddie’s temple. 

**Author's Note:**

> y'all know why eddie be liking cheers 👀


End file.
